Lemon-Lime Sorbet || Autumnal Equinox Dinner || Course 5

Course #5 and the palate cleanser in the A.E. Dinner. The only sorbet I could find in Silver City was in a tiny case and it was expensive (and it would have been even more expensive to buy enough for everyone). So, I found a recipe and made it myself. This one was probably the most time consuming of the courses, but it was fairly easy. This serving looks tiny, but this stuff is intense. Don't take a big bite, this one is for nibbling on.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup freshly squeezed juice from lemons/limes (I could only find medium sized lemons and slightly smaller than medium limes, so it took me about 6 lemons and 7 limes to do a double recipe. You can use the bottled juice and just get a few lemons for the zest and bowls)
2 teaspoons fine lemon zest

METHOD

1. If you are not juicing your own fruit, skip this step and go to step 2.

Cut the lemons/limes in half. If you are using the lemon peel as a bowl, you will need to cut it in half lengthwise, otherwise the fruit juices easier if it is cut in half width-wise (how do you say not lengthwise?). Juice the fruit.

2. In a small saucepan on medium high heat, make a simple syrup by heating sugar and water until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Mix in the lemon juice and zest. Chill, either in the refrigerator, or by placing in a metal bowl over an ice bath.

3. Once the mixture has thoroughly chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you do not have an ice cream maker (we didn't), you may freeze it in a tall canister. Freeze for 1 1/2 hours. Remove and stir with a whisk. Return to the freezer and stir about once every hour for about 4 hours. The more times you stir, the more air will be incorporated, resulting in a lighter finished product. After 4 hours of stirring every 1/2 hour, put the sorbet in the blender and blend it on high until smooth (not too long or you will melt all your hard work).

4. Place sorbet in an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.

5. In the mean time, between stirrings or whenever, scoop out the insides of the lemon halves and put in the freezer. When it is time to serve the sorbet (or an hour or two before serving time), scoop out the sorbet and fill the lemon half. You will have to mold the sorbet either with your hands or the spoon. I put on rubber gloves to do this so my hands wouldn't be as cold or as sticky.